Various unmanned aerial devices or unmanned aerial systems (UAS) can be launched into air. Unmanned aerial devices comprise remotely and/or autonomously controlled devices that operate in the air without a human operator on board. Examples of unmanned aerial devices/systems include unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and various airborne intelligence, surveillance, targeting and reconnaissance systems.
Launching aerial devices from submerged launch platforms, for example a submarine, poses certain problems. Conventional launch solutions that might be used on land, on ships or other non-submerged platforms are not well suited for use on submerged platforms because they are designed to launch aerial devices into clear air, not through a layer of water. Furthermore, aerial devices are not typically designed to operate in submerged conditions and for travel through water, and can be damaged and/or operate in unexpected or uncontrollable manner if launched into water.
Therefore improved apparatus for launching aerial devices from a submerged launch platform would be desired.